Clutch control



C. BRYAN.

CLUTCH CONTROL. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30. 1918.

1 3 1 2,384 Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

COLUMBTIS-BRYAN, OF PRIN'EVILLE, OREGON.

CLUTCH CONTROL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 30, 1918. Serial No. 225,756.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, COLUMBUS BRYAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Prineville, in the county of Crook and State of Oregon, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Clutch Controls, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to clutch control means, the object in view beingto provide an automatic clutch control which will do away with theinconvenience incident to the use of the present hand lever used on acertain popular type of motor vehicle.

Under the ordinary arrangement employing the hand lever, every time theclutch is put into neutral by means of the foot pedal, it isautomatically held in that position, and can not be put into high speed,without first going into low speed, this being necessary in order tostart the vehicle.

Under the old arrangement, the vehicle often creeps or moves forwardslowly after the engine is started with the usual hand crank, this beingdue to the emergency lever becoming worn, this often renders itnecessary to tie the emergency lever in a certain position by means of astring or piece of wire in order to prevent the vehicle from movingforward after the engine is cranked.

The improved device hereinafter described does not interfere with anypart or mechanism of the car, being attached in an out of the way place.The emergency lever may be used, if desired, in the usual way.

In the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, showing the same in itsrelation to the foot control lever of a motor vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the device showing the parts in neutral.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in low speed.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the parts in high speed.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

The clutch control device forming the subject matter of this invention,comprises a casing or box 1, having a detachable section or cover 2secured in place by fastening means 3.

Mounted within the casing 1 is a latch lever 4 which is mounted at oneend on a pivot 5. The opposite or free extremity of the latch lever 4has an upstanding stop shoulder or abutment 6 and also has a latchshoulder 7 which is adapted to engage under a corresponding shoulder 8of a pivoted latch 9, the latter being pivotally mounted at 10 withinthe casing 1, the latch 9 carries at its upper free extremity a roller11. A connection 12 such as a rod is attached flexibly at one end byfastening means 13 to the clutch lever 14 which controls the clutch ofthe motor vehicle. At its other end the connection 12 carries anenlargement or shiftable stop 15 which is adapted to contact with aninclined or cam face 16 of the latch lever 4, hereinabove referred to. Aspring 17 has one arm 18 thereof bearing with a lifting action againstthe latch lever 4 and another arm 19 which bears against the latch 9 andacts to press said latch toward and into engagement with the latch lever4.

The operation of the mechanism may be described as follows:

Starting with the parts in a neutral position, as shown in Fig. 2, toshift the clutch mechanism of the vehicle into low speed, the operatorpresses forward on the foot lever 14 causing the shiftable stop 15 tocooperate with the inclined or cam face 16 of the latch lever 4. Thisdepresses the free end of the lever 4 until the shoulder 7 is engagedbeneath the shoulder 8 of the latch 9, the latter being moved intoengagement with the latch lever by means of the arm 19 of the spring 17.To shift into high speed, the operator allows the foot lever 14 to moverearwardly. In this operation, the shiftable stop 15 passes over the topof the stop shoulder 6 and engaging the roller 11, moves the latch 9 ina corresponding direction until the parts assume the position shown inFig. 4. When the operator again presses forward on the foot lever 14,the shiftable stop 15 passes off the stop shoulder 6 and the parts arethen restored to the neutral position shown in Fig. 2. The operator cannot now shift the clutch mechanism into high speed without first goinginto low speed, as the stop shoulder 6 will prevent the movement of thestop 5 toward high speed position. This avoids frequent stalling of theengine by reason of the operator either purposely trying to shift tohigh speed without first shifting to low speed, and it also has the sameeffect when the operators foot slips off Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

the lever 14: which, of course, would throw the transmission gearinginto high speed and thereby stall the engine.

I claim:

The combination with the clutch lever of a motor vehicle, of a shiftablestop connected thereto and actuated thereby, a latch lever cooperatingwith said shiftable stop and adapted to prevent the movement of saidstop toward high speed position, a latch adapted to hold said latchlever in a certain predetermined position, while the transmissiongearing is in low speed, said latch lever having a stop shoulder Withwhich said shiftable stop engages when in neutral, and a spring havingtWo arms cooperating respectively with said latch lever and latch tobring about an engagement between the latch and latch lever and also toinsure an engagement between said shiftable stop and the stop shoulderof the latch.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

COLUMBUS BRYAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

